Chapter Text
“Shit,” Vi muttered under her breath as she pressed up against the brick wall behind her.
Of course, she’d be separated from the dumbasses she called family in the middle of a job and an incredibly easy job at that. They had just meant to steal a few things from the richer stores of Topside to prepare themselves for bigger jobs down the line. Of course, Mylo had eyes bigger than his ability to be sneaky and the group had to cut their trip short when the Enforcers showed up. Vi had run down one alley and apparently, they had all run down another. Where the others were, Vi didn’t know. All she knew was that she was in a very shitty situation.
The sound of boots on the ground made Vi’s head spin around. An annoyed scowl crossed her face as a group of five Enforcers appeared at the end of her escape route. God what Vi would do to challenge one of those assholes to a fight but now wasn’t the time. Vi pressed herself closer to the wall behind her, hoping the shadows and cover she had would make it harder for the Enforcers to spot.
She looked around the general vicinity, trying to find a way out. The Enforcers were already hot on her tail and even though she would be able to run down another alley, they would spot her immediately. The roofs were out as well since a dirty-looking pink-haired girl would raise suspicion and she’d be rotting in some jail cell an hour later.
Right when Vi was about to convince herself fighting her way out might be her best option, the gleam of glass caught her eye. There, a second-story window precariously open was Vi’s salvation. Going into a Topsider’s house was less than ideal but there was always a chance they weren’t there. Besides, it was the middle of the day and Topsiders were busy sipping tea and making policies to choke the Undercity at this time. Vi rolled her eyes at the idea as she slowly began to make her way over there.
Vi slipped around towards a small gathering of crates some business owner left out. She glanced over her shoulder to see the Enforcers slowly making their way towards her. One jabbed the end of their rifle behind some crates only to find nothing. There wasn’t much time. Vi jumped on the crates as silently as possible. A loud creek caught one of the Enforcer’s attention and they started to walk towards Vi’s location with new purpose. Vi forgoed the stealth she had tried to have before and jumped her way onto the red roof.
It wobbled slightly underneath her but didn’t give under the girl’s weight. Vi let out a breath of relief but she wasn’t able to savor the victory as the blue helmet of her enemy appeared below her. Vi ducked into the window as quickly as possible which was easy since the window was so large. The heat from the sun fell off Vi’s back as she climbed into the chill room.
There didn’t appear to be anyone there at the moment so Vi took the time to catch her breath. She was in what appeared to be a bedroom, but she could hardly believe that it was one. It was so big, bigger than the entire first floor of the Last Drop. Vi stuffed her hands in her brown vest’s pockets as she walked around. A desk near the window caught her attention and she went over to try and find anything she could pawn off later.
The desk was the definition of organized chaos. At first glance, it looked like someone had just tossed a mismatch of papers onto it but after further examination, Vi found a complicated organization system she couldn’t decode if she wanted. It reminded her of Powder and the messy way she put together her bots. Vi chuckled as she picked up one of the books on the desk.
Before she could tell if it was worth something, Vi heard something move behind her. Gripping the edge of the book, Vi tried to decipher if the noise was simply the wind or something much more dangerous. Vi glanced to the side and found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.
Vi stiffened at the metal that gleamed in the afternoon light. She had come into the room to get away from rifles, not meet one up close and personal. Her eyes went from the barrel to who was holding it. A young girl about Vi’s age was the one wielding the weapon. She had long, dark blue hair that went past her shoulders and sharp eyes slanted as she looked at Vi. She held the weapon comfortably which made Vi more uneasy.
“Who are you?” The blue-haired girl asked, her voice steady and cold. The sharp, metallic sound of the rifle being cocked filled the air between her sentences. “And what are you doing in my room?”
“Have you been there the whole time?” Vi asked instead. The blue-haired girl was in the opposite corner of the room from Vi and didn’t look like she had just entered. Vi swore that no one was in the room when she walked in but here they were.
“It’s my room,” The girl responded like it was obvious. “You’re the one who shouldn’t be here.” She shifted her weight so she was looking at Vi from the barrel of her gun. Vi knew enough about rifles to know that it was pointed where it would at best cripple her with the bullet. The girl wasn’t out to kill her, yet. Anger brewed in Vi next to another, more unfamiliar feeling she pushed down to deal with later. “I’m going to ask again, what are you doing here?”
“Going on a wee bit of a house tour,” Vi mocked the girl’s accent in response. The girl was obviously unimpressed with the imitation but didn’t falter in her stance. Vi threw the book back on the desk. It landed with a solid thud that Vi thought would have distracted the girl enough for Vi to make a break for it. Disappointedly, the blue-haired girl didn’t even flinch, her finger hovering over the trigger. Vi turned to face the blue-haired girl, her eyes drifting to look at the weapon. “I bet you can’t even shoot that thing, huh?”
“You want to find out?” The girl threatened. Vi was taken aback but did her very best not to show it. She hadn’t met a girl like this, much less in Topside. While Vi held tight to the anger inside of her, using it to guide her through this conversation, Vi was growing more and more perplexed about the tightness in her chest. She continued to ignore it in favor of thinking of new ways to taunt the girl.
“You talk big, Cupcake,” Vi said. The nickname came out of nowhere but was probably because Vi was starving. It made the blue-haired girl flinch back for the first time, giving Vi the opportunity to take charge of the situation. She slowly began walking towards Cupcake. It was probably a stupid idea that Vander would be pissed at Vi for doing but he wasn’t here. Besides, if Vi was going to go out she was going to see those ice-blue eyes that were making her blood rush up close and personal.
Vi paused in front of the gun. Hands in her brown vest pockets and a smug smile on her face, she looked over at the blue-haired girl. “But I bet you don’t have it in you to pull that trigger.”
A foot away from the other girl, Vi was in her element now. If it did come to a fight, she would have the upper hand in close combat than a ranged one. Vi expected Cupcake to back down but she didn’t, holding her ground still.
“You don’t strike me as an idiot,” Cupcake said as she watched Vi come closer.
She sounded so…professional to Vi. Cupcake seemed to be following patterns that Vi was beginning to recognize as Enforcer patterns. Vi’s jaw tightened but for whatever reason, she was finding trouble getting angry at the blue-haired girl. Something inside fought against the previously conceived notions of all Topsiders being evil whenever blue eyes met Vi’s grey ones. Vi wrestled these feelings away as she stuck to what she knew, being an asshole who didn’t know how to be passive.
“Like you’d have the balls to kill me,” Vi sneered back.
“I could finish you right now,” the girl shot back.
Vi looked the girl over before scoffing. Cupcake didn’t have it in her. “Says the girl who’s dressed like a doll.”
“Says the girl with the gun,” Cupcake reminded, and the cool, chill expression on her face made Vi’s heart skip a beat.
This was getting to be much more annoying than Vi wanted. She’d prefer if the girl actually shot her so Vi wouldn’t have to deal with the confusing emotions inside of her. One thing was clear from Cupcake, she wasn’t about to shoot Vi. That in of itself was strange. Vi would have bet good money on all Topsiders doing whatever it took to fuck over anyone from the Undercity but now she had been thrown a curveball. Mix that in with the churning of Vi’s gut in a sickening but fantastic way and Vi had more than she could handle. She’d rather face actual Enforcers than this girl who was throwing Vi off her game.
With her safety for the most part secured, Vi turned and began to walk back towards the window. There was a slight shuffling behind her and Vi turned to see what the blue-haired girl was up to. Cupcake looked more worried than Vi would expect.
“What? Are you going to shoot me in the back?” Vi asked. It was something she would have believed a Topsider to do when she woke up this morning but at that moment Vi didn’t know what to truly think.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Cupcake warned, her voice edged with concern. Vi raised her eyebrows, seeking new information. The blue-haired girl shifted her weight, standing up more but with the gun still loaded and ready to fire if Vi tried anything. “Enforcers will be calling back-ups to search this area further.” She sounded like she had just gotten a question right. “You’ll be caught in seconds.”
“And how would you know what Enforcers are thinking, Cupcake?” Vi asked, one foot already out the window. She glanced out the window to see if the girl was correct. A group of people clad in Enforcer uniforms were searching the area. One was even yelling at the group but Vi couldn’t make out any words. Though she hated to admit it, Cupcake probably just saved Vi’s ass.
“I’m going to be one one day,” She stood a little taller which sickened Vi.
Vi laughed cruelly. “You’re telling me Enforcers don’t come from the pits of hell?”
Cupcake stiffened. Her brow knitted together. “Why would you think that?”
“You’re a washed-up one and the first thing you did was point a gun at me,” Vi pointed out as anger started to blind her. She took her foot off the window so she was firmly planted in the room as her brain ran wild. “I had to hide in here because I thought they were going to kill me!” Horrible thoughts of her friends, Powder, being caught and trapped by Enforcers with her not there to protect them swarmed Vi’s mind. She started to panic and that mixed with her white-hot anger made her lash out more than she should have. “They might have killed my friends!”
“They wouldn’t kill your friends-”
“Well, they killed my parents so who knows,” Shot back Vi. The blue-haired girl took a step back, her eyes going wide.
“I-I,” The girl’s eyes looked down at the ground as if answers would be there. Vi could tell she was thinking by the knit of her brow, and she couldn’t wait to see what Topsider bullshit blue-haired girl was going to spout next. After a few seconds of silence, she looked Vi in the eyes, not with guilt or pity but genuine sorrow for Vi’s loss. “I’m sorry.”
Vi waited. She waited for the “they probably deserved it'' or “lots of children lose their parents” but that didn’t come. Just a stranger, wanna be Enforcer apologizing for a loss that could never be filled. Vi’s previously constructed notion of Enforcers was starting to show cracks and unsure of what to do, Vi decided to just give the girl the cold shoulder.
“Lots of help that will do,” Muttered Vi as she turned away from the blue-haired girl. She heard a click as the rifle was unloaded and put aside. Vi turned around. The blue-haired girl looked a lot different without the gun in her hands. She didn’t look less threatening but different, open. The feeling in the room got much more awkward after that, neither side was sure what to say. It wasn’t until Vi’s stomach let out a loud, embarrassing growl did anyone talk.
“Are you hungry?” Cupcake asked, her voice a bit on edge.
Vi scoffed, like that would make anything better. This girl had to be insane if she thought lunch would make Vi suddenly like her. Vi glanced over, expecting the Topsider to look hopeful that Vi would say yes and erase away some of the guilt. The blue-haired girl didn’t look that way. She did look a little uncomfortable and like she was trying to do something that wasn’t so foreign to her. Vi was taken back. She had never seen a Topsider care about someone from the Undercity before.
“I’m fine,” Vi shot back, not willing to take the charity even if Cupcake wasn’t making it out that way.
“I can get you something to eat,” Caitlyn offered, glancing at the door before returning to Vi.
“I don’t need your charity,” Vi snapped back.
Caitlyn slanted her brow as her face became taunt in a frown. “It’s not charity, I’m doing you a favor.”
“Do whatever you want, Cupcake,” Vi said with an exasperated sigh. She tried to fake interest in a painting that hung on the wall. Her stomach let out a loud growl again and ruined the illusion. Vi caught Caitlyn smirking out of the corner of her eye which was infuriating all in of itself.
“I’ll be back,” And then, Cupcake slipped out of the room leaving Vi alone.
Vi was once again completely taken aback by this girl who seemed to trust Vi more than she should. The blue-haired girl must be extremely naive if she was okay with leaving Vi alone in her bedroom. She must have a strong faith in Vi to not trash the place, steal anything or just jump out the window. Vi, despite herself, felt herself relax a little. She shook that off. Vi had to remember she was in enemy territory. That girl getting her lunch right now was a ticking time bomb and would one day become an Enforcer willingly.
The thought felt strange though. Vi couldn’t imagine Cupcake in the gas mask and goggles Enforcers brought to the lanes, threatening people by force to follow orders. If her actions were any indication, she wouldn’t have it in her to do any of that but instead tried to help. Vi couldn’t wrap her mind around Enforcers being good people but this girl seemed different. A hardass at first but willing to help in any way she could. The longer Vi thought about the girl, the warmer her cheeks got. Now was not the time to be getting feelings about anyone and Vi shook her head to try and clear it from her head.
Vi went to focus on the room around her instead so these intrusive thoughts would go away. She still couldn’t get over how big it was for someone as small as Cupcake. Vi walked the perimeter, glancing over the overfilled desk and at the various shelves and storage compartments that filled it. The sight of a bathroom just off to the side made Vi nearly trip over herself in surprise. She made a mental note of how much Topsiders in this part of town had for jobs down the line as she found herself back where she started.
A cool, summer breeze rustled the curtains of the window, catching Vi’s attention. The light blue of the sky reminded her of how easy her escape would be. Cupcake wasn’t in the room and even if she was it was clear she wasn’t going to do anything. Vi could be home in an hour if she just fucking left but she found herself frozen.
Vi wanted to lie to herself and say that it was because of the Enforcers outside. Cupcake seemed to know what she was talking about but Vi knew deep inside that she could avoid them easily. It would make Vi take a detour but other than that she would be fine. The worry she had previously felt over her friends was slowly going away. If there were this many Enforcers looking for just Vi, it must mean that her friends had gotten away. That only encouraged Vi to stay longer and wait for the pretty girl to come back. Vi didn’t know she was sitting down until she felt the bed underneath her.
Before Vi could think about what she was doing, Cupcake came back. She was carrying two plates loaded down with sandwiches and fruit as she kicked the door open with her foot. Vi watched as she nudged the door shut with her shoulder and turned around to face Vi. Her face was slightly shocked to see where Vi was sitting. Vi shot her a confused stare as Cupcake was suddenly the most uncomfortable Vi had seen her.
“What?” Vi asked. Despite denying it before, Vi really wanted that food and didn’t appreciate that she had to wait longer for it. Cupcake shifted nervously.
“We cannot eat on the bed,” she said.
“Why not?” Sounded like a stupid rule to Vi.
“My mum would kill me,” Caitlyn said back.
For whatever reason, that made Vi smile. Cupcake’s first impression had been so aggressive it was funny to think she wouldn’t eat on the bed because of her mom. Vi leaned back a little, smirking at Caitlyn as she bounced her eyebrows up.
“Good thing she’s not here,” Vi pointed out. Cupcake’s eyes went a little wider than usual and Vi swore she saw pink in the blue-haired girl’s cheeks. Vi felt her own cheeks warm up involuntarily and it made the smirk on her face disappear and her own eyes shift away from Cupcake out of embarrassment. The blue-haired girl gave in after a few seconds and made her way over to Vi.
Cupcake handed the plate to Vi who took it without saying anything. Vi stared down at the food. It looked…not poisoned but that didn’t mean Vi trusted it. She looked over at Cupcake who had just taken a bite out of her own sandwich. After a few seconds of watching her chew, Vi decided that the food was probably safe to eat or at least something her stomach could handle.
“Did your maid make these for you?” Vi asked sarcastically as she picked up the sandwich. She couldn’t imagine having to work directly under Topsiders, being stuck under their heal indirectly was bad enough. Still, the more and more time Vi spent with Cupcake the more she found she wouldn’t mind it if it meant she got to look at the pretty girl beside her all day.
“My dad did,” Cupcake said as she wiped a bit of food off her face with a napkin.
Vi softened at that motion. Memories of Vander and her own parents making lunch for her came back. Vi looked back down at the sandwich that looked extremely delicious and her mouth watered. She brought it up to her mouth to take a bite.
A whirlwind of flavors Vi had never experienced before washed over her tongue. The sandwich had more fresh vegetables on it than Vi had in the past two years and the crunch of the lettuce was foreign to her. The meat was spiced amazingly, and the bread topped with different herbs Vi couldn’t even begin to fathom. She took another large bite and then another, her hunger driving her more than her brain was.
“Wow, calm down,” Caitlyn warned as she saw the speed Vi was going at. “If you eat too fast you’ll get a stomach ache.”
Vi hated the fact that Caitlyn was right. She hated the fact that Cupcake continued to dismantle the carefully created masterpiece of what Topsiders and Enforcers were like. They were cruel people who didn’t care about the Undercity it explored for their own personal gain. They were all hypocrites and obsessed with themselves, preferring a hundred Undercity citizens to die so that they could feel safe.
But this girl sitting next to Vi had broken all expectations. Cupcake cared about Vi, a random undercity stranger enough to make sure she didn’t choke on the food Cupcake had gotten for her. Vi’s usual anger began to flare down, allowing a much warmer and more suffocating feeling to replace it that Vi was starting to give into.
Vi cleared the excess crumbs off her face with the back of her arm, trying to hold down a cough. Cupcake had been watching her the whole time to make sure Vi wasn’t choking.
“So your dad didn’t question why you needed two sandwiches?” Vi asked.
“Please,” Cupcake responded as she took a bite out of an apple slice. “You’re not the first girl I’ve had up here.”
Vi stared at the blue-haired girl as she chewed, wide-eyed and in shock. She hadn’t expected that and Vi didn’t know what to do with this information. It felt like fireworks were going off in her head as a door opened that she thought was locked to her. A smile crept across her face as the seconds ticked on longer before Cupcake realized what she said.
When she did, it was fantastic. The blue-haired girl’s face went from mindless smirk to “holy shit what did I just imply” in a second. It made Vi burst out in laughter as Cupcake whipped around to try and backtrack on what she just said.
“I mean for study dates!” Cupcake tried to explain, so flustered she continued to damn herself. Vi laughed loudly. “I mean for- '' Vi's loud laughter cut Cupcake off. Her face was bright red as her hands curled into fists, giving Vi her best glare. “Will you stop laughing, please?”
“You are not helping your case,” Vi said as she fought to keep breath in her lungs from fucking laughing so much. Cupcake glared harder to no effect.
“Stop laughing!” She demanded as her very minor and ineffective assault made Vi laugh more.
“And your dad knows this and just goes along with it now?” Vi asked in between her laughs. “No questions asked?”
“I said shut up!” Cupcake replied as she emphasized each word with a playful punch of Vi’s arm.
“Am I the first girl to eat on your bed or is that some kind of milestone?” Vi asked as she let herself be lightly shoved to the side by Cupcake’s feather-soft onslaught. “Am I different from all the rest?”
The blue-haired girl’s head was bent down as she placed her head in her hands. She let out a groan and looked over at Vi. “I am never going to live that down, am I?”
“Never letting it go,” Vi grinned as she turned to face a very embarrassed Cupcake. Despite it, Cupcake had the warmest smile on her face as if she couldn’t stay mad with this stranger. “You got moves, Cupcake.”
“Caitlyn.” She looked at Vi, her blue eyes gleaming as she smiled nervously. “If you like.”
Caitlyn. Vi ran the name over her mind.
“I don’t know,” Vi replied, gently nudging Caitlyn with her shoulder. “Cupcake suits you.”
“How so?” Caitlyn asked, her voice tinged with playful annoyance at the nickname.
“Because you’re so sweet,” Vi explained like it was obvious, emphasizing the words with juts of her chin. “Like a cupcake.”
Caitlyn put one leg over the other and she turned to face Vi more completely. With Caitlyn’s completely undivided attention, Vi felt like her heart would beat out of her chest.
“So what should I call you? Loud intruder?” Caitlyn asked. Despite how incredibly unoriginal that was, Vi didn’t comment on it.
“Vi,” The pink-haired girl responded as she leaned back on her hands.
“Is that short for anything?” Caitlyn asked, her head tilting to the side in interest.
Vi leaned a little closer. “Violence.”
“Charming,” Caitlyn smirked. Then, for the briefest of seconds, Caitlyn’s eyes darted down to Vi’s lips and the blue-haired girl’s face went red again. Vi’s did the same and both of them turned away from the other, embarrassed in their shared experience. Unsure of what to do now, Vi shoved a fist full of apples in her mouth to stop anything stupid from coming out of it.
“Well, Vi,” Caitlyn said as she thrummed her fingers on her legs. She looked over at the pink-haired girl. “Who are these friends?” Caitlyn flinched as if she regretted the decently innocent question. “Was that a terrible segway I don’t know.” She turned away from Vi and put her head in her hands. “Stop saying your idiot thoughts out loud Caitlyn everyone can hear you oh god.”
Caitlyn was a dork. And Vi couldn’t make fun of her for it because Vi wanted to kiss that dork.
“Honestly, kinda hope Mylo gets caught,” Vi admitted as she finished off her sandwich. “Maybe then he’ll stop being a dumbass. It was his fault the Enforcers caught us.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to knock some sense into him,” Caitlyn said, seeming relieved that Vi hadn’t made fun of her for being a dork. Vi would save that for another time.
Vi leaned back on her hands. “If you’re recommending that I beat the shit out of him I’m on board.”
Caitlyn laughed again, close-mouthed like always. “Maybe not, he is your friend after all.”
“I suppose,” Vi agreed even though beating the shit out of Mylo was definitely on her to-do list now. “What about you, Cupcake? Any dumbasses I need to give a talking to?”
“Oh uh,” Caitlyn looked away as she began to run her fingers through her hair nervously. “I don’t have a lot of friends.” Vi’s shoulders sagged a little as felt bad for Caitlyn. Vi couldn’t imagine being alone in the world without friends. Caitlyn’s eyes brightened for a second as she turned back to Vi. “There's Jayce, I suppose but sometimes I think he’s only my friend because my parents pay for his research.” She shrugged her shoulders as she looked down at the ground. “I’m a bit of a misfit I suppose.”
“We can be friends,” Vi didn’t realize she had said it until the words were already out of her mouth. She couldn’t believe that she had said it after the introduction to Caitlyn at the beginning of the day. Vi had distrusted her at first and now she would do anything to be the blue-haired girl’s friend. Caitlyn seemed just as surprised as Vi but then she smiled.
It was such a pure, happy and innocent smile that made Vi feel like she was about to melt. It was the first time Vi had ever seen Caitlyn smile with her teeth. She had always either smiled with her lips or hung her head to hide it when the pair had been laughing earlier. Vi hadn’t noticed that Caitlyn had been doing it on purpose until now and she got a front-row seat on why Caitlyn covered that wonderful smile of hers.
Cait had a little gap between her front two teeth, just like Powder. Powder had despised the gap and had used to hide her smile until Vi knocked that shitty idea out of her brain. Cait must think the same way and it was then that Vi made it her mission to make sure Caitlyn smiled more just like that because damn. That smile made the shitty, terrible world bright and Vi would do anything to see it every day.
“I’d like that,” Caitlyn said softly and Vi felt like she had just won the lottery. She didn’t even care that they probably had nothing to show for their haul that day. She had Caitlyn as a friend, the dorky wanna-be enforcer whose smile lit up like the sun. What more could Vi ask for?
The pair dissolved into silence as they looked into each other's eyes. Vi’s grey ones slipped below and focused on a second too long on Cait’s lips. Her heart hammered in her chest as part of her urged her forward while the other half insisted she jump out the window headfirst. It wouldn’t have mattered if Caitlyn wasn’t doing the same and that’s when Vi gave into her flight reaction for the first time in her life.
“I’d better get going,” Vi said, suddenly standing to her feet. She rubbed the back of her neck nervously as she chuckled. “Those idiots can’t last much longer without me.”
“Of course, of course,” Caitlyn said as she rose to her own feet. She dusted off her purple skirt in her own spell of nervousness.
“It’s been real, Cupcake,” Vi said as she began to walk towards the window.
“Wait!’ Caitlyn said suddenly. Vi turned around not sure what she was expecting. Caitlyn was shifting nervously. “You’re not really going out the window, are you?”
“How else would I leave?” Vi asked.
“The front door,” Caitlyn said, sounding confused. Vi must have looked like she didn’t trust it because Caitlyn was quick to clarify. “People are less likely to pay attention to it and-” Caitlyn reeled back a little as she fidgeted with her hands. “And then I could walk you out.”
Vi wasn’t about to turn down spending a couple more minutes with Cait. She was sure she would never see the wanna-be Enforcer again due to how they lived completely separate lives. A final walk seemed doable and Vi took her foot off the windowsill.
“Lead the way Cupcake,” Vi grinned and Caitlyn ushered her into the hallway.
The rest of Caitlyn’s house was just as impressive as her bedroom was. Vi found herself taken away by the different, completely useless shit all over the place that must have been “decorations.” The hallway itself was so huge and Vi was certain she would have gotten lost if Caitlyn hadn’t shown her the way.
Caitlyn brought Vi to a large staircase that led to what looked like the biggest room in the house. Vi’s mouth hung open in surprise as Caitlyn brought her down the stairs and into the huge room. Pillars held up the second floor and couches and chairs sat in front of a fireplace. Above it was a large painting of what Vi suspected was Caitlyn’s family. A much younger Caitlyn was on the right side dressed in a poofy off-white gown. Vi let out a chuckle as she saw that the blue-haired girl had a rifle in her right hand even then.
“Is that you?” Vi asked, jutting her chin out at the painting. Before Caitlyn could respond, a man walked into the room. He was on the taller side with a trimmed blue beard. Vi could see the family resemblance and assumed that this was Caitlyn’s father. Like Caitlyn had accidentally revealed, her dad didn’t look at all surprised to see his daughter with a girl he had never met before.
“Ah! Caitlyn!” He greeted his daughter who looked like she wanted to die on the spot. Caitlyn’s dad’s eyes twinkled as they settled on Vi. He had a kind, soft face, and a relaxed demeanor. Vi could tell where Caitlyn got those soft edges from and felt nearly as comfortable with him as she did with Cait. “What are you girls up to today?”
“Vi was just leaving,” Caitlyn said quickly and a bit short. She gripped Vi’s arm and pulled her towards the entrance. “Come on Vi.”
Vi stumbled after Caitlyn, grinning all the way. She waved to Caitlyn’s dad as the pair made their way to the front of the house. “Thanks for lunch, Cupcake's dad!”
Vi glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Caitlyn red as a tomato. Caitlyn’s dad looked at the pair, perplexed as he mouthed the word cupcake with a small smile. Vi liked Caitlyn’s dad, he was almost as cool as Vander.
Caitlyn was quick to get Vi out of the house and outside after that. The sun felt fantastic on Vi’s face and the warm wind ruffled her short hair. Vi glanced out on the street. There were a few people milling about that afternoon, but none were Enforcers, and none gave the girls a passing glance. With the ability to leave without issue, Vi still stalled. Glancing over at the girl beside her, Vi didn’t want to leave.
Caitlyn looked just as willing to stay in that spot for the rest of their lives. She was looking everywhere but Vi’s face, rubbing her arm with her other hand as she did so. There was a silence between them, peaceful and serene that neither of them wanted to break. Vi ended up the one doing it, she did have people to get back home to.
“Thanks for helping me avoid the police,” Vi smirked, hoping that would make the moment a little sweeter. “Can’t wait till you’re on the force, I’ll get away with everything.”
“We’ll see about that,” Caitlyn smirked back as she tried to mimic Vi’s pose only to fall and nearly trip over herself.
Vi’s chest hurt as she had finally run out of reasons to spend time with the dorky, beautiful girl who had held her at point-blank range.
“See you around Cupcake,” Vi said as she began to walk down the street.
“Don’t get caught on your way back!” Caitlyn called after her and Vi shook her head at her lack of subtleness.
As she walked back to the lanes, Topside seemed different. It was still the same place but Vi swore it looked brighter now. She made it back to the Lanes with no trouble and got tackled by Powder the second she entered the Last Drop. Guilt washed over Vi as Powder pressed her face in Vi’s neck out of worry.
“I’m alright Pow-Pow,” Vi said as she hugged her sister back. “Just had to take a little detour.”
A funny, smart, blue-haired detour who was still making Vi’s head light-headed just thinking about her. Powder didn’t ask many questions which Vi was grateful for instead jumping into a story about how one of her bots almost worked this time and if only Vi was there to see it! Vi smiled along as Powder rambled but despite how hard she tried to pay attention, Vi’s brain wouldn’t let her think about anything but Caitlyn for long and the girl remained on Vi’s mind for the rest of the day.
A day later, Vi had been back in Topside. She was hellbent on getting something of value to pawn off later that day. After pickpocketing a few topsiders too dumb to notice the obvious thief among them, Vi ducked into a side street to avoid the crowds for a while. As she walked, Vi found herself in familiar territory and under a familiar window.
A familiar open window.
It was tempting but Vi had work to do later that day for Vander. Still, as she walked away, Vi couldn’t help the huge smile on her face and the skip in her step that carried with her all the way down to the lanes. She got a few strange looks but who cares?
Vi had a chance.